Suspended track gripping locomotive



July 2z, 1969 E, W JAcksoN 3,456,597

SUSPENDED TRACK GRIPPING LOCOMOTIVE Filed March 28, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 July v22, 1969 Filed Marchl ze, 1967 E- W. JACKSON SUSPENDED TRACK GRIPPING LOCOMOTIVE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 22, 1969 E. w. JACKSCSN 3,456,597

SUSPENDED TRACK GRIPPING LOCOMOTIVE Filed March 28, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 F/gZA.

jwwvday July 22, 1969 E. W, JACKSON 3,456,597

SUSPENDED TRACK GRIPPING LOGOMOTIVE Filed Maron 28. 1967 vs sheets-sheet 4 July 22, 1969 E. w. JACKSON SUSPENDED TRACK GRIPPING LOCOMOTIVE lFiled March 28, 1967 Val 8079 el so 79 7a itl 7e 79 so al ,July 22, 1969 E. w. JAcKsoN SUSPENDED TRACK GRIPPING LOCOMOTIVE Filed March 28, 1967 6 Sl'xeetrs--Shee'tl 6 United States Patent O 3,456,597 SUSPENDED TRACK GRIPPWG LOCOMOTIVE Eric W. Jackson, Hucknall, England, assigner to Becorxt (Research) Limited, Nottingham, England, a British company Filed Mar. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 626,525

Int. Cl. B61b 13/06; B61c 13/08, 15/04 U.S. Cl. S-30 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to suspended locomotives adapted y to run on an elevated monorail track primarily for use in underground mine workings and is concerned with the provision of laterally spaced, rail-engaging driving elements mounted on the body of the locomotive for relative lateral movement towards and away from each other and adapted to engage frictionally with oppositely presented faces of a vertical web of the rail, and is concerned with the provision of pressure applying means for urging the driving elements towards each other to grip the web of the rail.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to vehicles, and in particular to locomotives, adapted to run on an elevated monorail track primarily, but not exclusively,l for use in underground mine workings.

Description of the prior art At present monorail conveyors utilised'in underground mine workings ordinarily include vehicles propelled along themonorail track by a cable which extends alongside the track and is driven by a winch, the vehicles being detachably coupled to the cable. One of the disadvantages of this arrangement is that personnel are required to walk alongside the vehicle to control it, for example to control the coupling and uncoupling of the vehicle from the cable. Further, vehicles suspended from one monrail track cannot be concurrently propelled in reverse directions at different positions along the track.

' Self-propelled locomotives have also been proposed 'for employment in monorail conveyors having an elevated monorail track but these cannot satisfactorily be employed in underground mine workings because the arrangement of running wheels, by means of which these locomotives are suspended from the track and are driven Vtherealong, conflucts with the requirement to provide articulated connection between successive sections at adjoiningends. Such articulated connection is of primary importance in underground mine workings to enable the SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention I provide a locomotive for a monorail conveyor of the kind in which the locomotive is suspended from an elevated monorail track and the latter is formed of a rail having a vertical web and a 3,456,597 Patented July 22, 1969 ICC horizontal flange at least at the lower end of the web, such locomotive comprising a body supported by running wheels for engagement with the upwardly presented face of said flange, laterally spaced rail engaging driving elements mounted for relative lateral movement towards and away from each other and adapted to engage frictionally with oppositely presented faces of the web, a driving motor operatively connected through transmission means with at least one of the driving elements, and pressure applying means urging the driving elements towards each other to grip the web of the rail.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings where- 1n:

FIGURES 1A and 1B are views in side elevation of one embodiment of locomotive and tender in accordance with the present invention, the cover structure of the locomotive being broken away to show the arrangement of driving motor and transmission means;

FIGURES 2A and 2B are plan views of the aforesaid embodiment, a portion of the upper part of the cover structure being broken away in FIGURE 2A;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale and in plan of the gear box driving wheels and pressure applying means, the top wall of the gear box being broken away to show the drive to the input shafts thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a view in side elevation and in cross-section on the line 4 4 of FIGURES 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a schemmatic hydraulic circuit diagram showing the arrangement for pressurising the pressure applying means associated with the driving wheels.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The embodiment of locomotive and tender illustrated forms part of a monorail conveyor which includes an elevated track 10 in the form of a single rail of I-section having a vertical web 11 and upper and lower horizontal flanges 12 and 13. When the conveyor is used in an underground mine working as is intended the track is suspended from arched members which are installed in the tunnels or roadways of the mine working and serve to reinforce the walls and roof against disruption. The track consists of a plurality of track sections connected to each other in end-to-end relation by joint structures indicated generally at 14.

Such joint structures provide for relative pivotal movement of one track section 10a relative to the successive track section 10b about a horizontal axis defined by a pivot pin 15 passing through the aligned apertures of a bifurcated tubular lug 16 secured to the lower flange of the rail section 10b, and a further pivotal lug 17 mounted beneath the lower flange of the rail section 10a. The tubular lug 17 is pivotally connected to the rail section 10a for movement about a vertical axis by means of a vertical pivot pin 18 connecting such lug to a box-section attachment member 19 welded to the underside of the lower flange.

Relative angular movement of the two rail sections about the axis of the pivot pin 15 is limited by an upper pair of apertured lugs 2i) secured to the upper ange of the rail section 10b and which engage between a further pair of apertured lugs 21 secured to the upper tiange of the rail section 10a. These latter lugs have elongated slots 22 through which a captive pin 23 is passed.

The pin has sucient clearance with respect to the boundaries of the slot 22 and the holes in the lugs 20 to permit of limited relative angular movement between the rail sections 10a and 10b about the axis of the pivot pin 18.

The locomotive now described is equipped with driving elements which are adapted to traverse the joint structure 14 without imposing stresses thereon which can damage or lead to premature wear in the joint structure which do not involve any substanital shocks o-r jarring, either on the joint structure or the driving elements or transmission means connecting the driving elements to the driving motor of the locomotive, and which provide a long service life by elimination of high local contact stresses where the driving elements engage the rail.

Referring to the locomotive generally, this comprises a plurality of bogies 24, 25 and 26 of which the rst is situated adjacent to one end of the locomotive and the two latter are spaced apart by a short distance from each other and are situated adjacent to the other end.

The bogie 24 includes running wheels 24a resting on the upper face of the lower flange 13 of the track and the two remaining bogies include similar running walls as indicated at 25a and 26a respectively.

The bogie 24 has side members each including a plate 27 reinforced by a vertical girder 28 welded thereto, and pivotally connected about a horizontal axis lying in a vertical median plane through the track to the body of the locomotive by means of a pivot pin 29 passing through a downwardly extending lug at the lower end of the bogie and through transverse girders 30 of the frame structure forming part of the body of the locomotive.

The bogies 25 and 26 are fixedly connected to a gear box support frame 31 which includes end members 32, the upper and lower extremities of which are connected by horizontal beams 33 and 34 respectively. The body of the locomotive includes a base or platform structure, indicated generally at 35, which is pivotally connected to the lower end of the gear box frame by a pivot pin 36 passing through openings at the upper end of a pyramidical frame formed by girders 37 welded to the base or platform structure at their lower ends and at their upper ends to a head member 38 which incorporates lugs 39 apertured to receive the pivot pin 36. At the opposite end the base or platform structure 35 has laterally spaced upright girders 40 welded thereto connected at their upper ends to the girders 30 already mentioned and braced by stay girders 41.

The 'base or platform structure 35 supports a driving motor indicated generally at 42, preferably a compression ignition engine utilising diesel fuel.

The driving shaft of the motor 42 is connected to transmission means which includes a hydraulic pump 43 having a variable rate of output for a speed of rotation.

A suitable form of pump is that known as swash plate pump provided with a manually operable control member for adjusting the amplitude of motion of the swash plate to provide the required rate ow of hydraulic fluid for the given speed of rotation of the moto-r 42.

The transmission means further comprises a hydraulic motor 44 connected to the pump by a pipe 45. Associated with the pump and motor is a tank or reservoir chamber 46 for containing a supply of hydraulic uid such as oil.

The hydraulic motor 44 is mounted on one end of a gear box 47 best seen in FIGURES 3 and 4. Such gear box has a casing 48 of generally rectangular form as viewed in plan mounted in the frame 31 by means of attachment `bosses 49 provided with internally threaded holes to receive securing bolts extending through the end members 32 of the frame.

The pump 46 has an output shaft 50 on which is fixed a driving pinion 51 meshing with two gear wheels 52 xed on input shafts such as 53 seen in FIGURE 4, and supported by bearings 55 and 56 carried by internal webs 57 and 58 in the gear box casing. The input shafts 53 which are horizontal and are spaced apart laterally serve as means for pivotally supporting associated carriers 59 of U-shape as seen in side elevation, having vertical limbs 60 carrying bearings 61 for effecting co-axial pivotal assembly of the carrier with the associated input shaft 53, whereby the two carriers can swing laterally with respect to a vertical median plane passing through the web of the rail of the track.

The carriers each include a top member 62 apertured to receive the lower end of a sleeve 63 having a flange 64 which is provided with bolts 65 for securing same to the top member.

Each sleeve 63 forms the outer component of a laterally movable arm indicated generally at 66, the inner component of 'which is a driving shaft 67 supported by bearings 68 and 69 at the upper and lower ends of the sleeve 63.

Each input shft 53 carries a bevel gear, one of which is seen at 70, keyed or otherwise fixed thereto and which meshes with a companion bevel gear fixed to an associated one of the driving shafts `67. The bevel gears 70 of the two driving shafts are disposed one nearer to the right-hand end of the gear box 47, as seen in FIGURE 4, and one nearer to the left-hand end so as to mesh with teeth of their companion bevel gears 71 situated at relatively diametrically opposed positions whereby one of the driving shafts 67 rotates clockwise as viewed in plan and the other anti-clockwise.

At their upper ends the driving shafts `67 carry driving elements in the form of wheels 72. These have central portions 73 formed with upwardly tapering openings to enable them to be detachably mounted on an upper end portion 74 of the associated driving shaft which has a complementary upwardly tapering form. Each driving wheel is secured by means of a nut 75. The taper of the portion 74 may provide sufficient frictional coupling between the driving shaft and the driving wheel, but a positive coupling by means of a key could be utilised if desired.

Each driving wheel further includes a tyre 76 of a resiliently deformable material having mechanical properties similar to rubber but preferably of a composition which does not support combustion. It will be noted that the radial thickness of the tyre 76 is substantial and typically in the range 11/2 inches to 3 inches, thereby providing a long service life and aording a good cushioning effect when the driving wheel travels passed a joint structure between successive rail sections. The tyre 76 may be secured to the central portion by bonding the material of the tyre to the central portion. A suitable material for the tyre is Duthane rubber.

The sleeves 63 and associated driving shafts 67 constitute arms which are movable toward and away from each other, the extent of the movement being such that the wheels can move 4between an inner operative position with the tyres in frictional engagement with the web 11 of the rail, and an outer inoperative position in which the wheels are withdrawn clear of the rail sufliciently to bring the outer periphery of the tyre into a position laterally outwardly of the flnages 12 and 13 of the rail, thereby permitting the wheel to be removed from its driving shaft and replaced by a further wheel when the tyre 76 becomes worn.

Pressure applying means comprising at least one, and preferably two, piston and cylinder units 77 are operatively connected between the two arms. As shown, each arm is embraced by a clamping member 78, and the cylinder and piston rod of each piston and cylinder unit are connected pivotally to the two clamping members respectively. For this purpose the clamping members are furnished with forked brackets 7-9 and coupling pins 80 passing through coupling blocks 81 on the piston rod and cylinder of each unit 77.

Movement to the outer or inoperative position may be limited by abutment of the piston head against the end wall of the cylinder from which the piston rod protrudes in each unit 77 or separate stop means could be provided if desired, for example a length of chain connecting the two clamping members 78.

` To prevent the ingress of dust or other foreign material into the interior of the gear box 47 a exible sealing means comprising a bellows 8-2 is mounted in the opening in the top wall 83 of the gear box casing through which each sleeve 63 protrudes. Such bellows may be bonded to a rim 83a on the top wall bordering the opening at the upper end of the bellows, and may be bonded at its lower end to the sleeve 63 or may simply be maintained in sealing engagement with the latter, by virtue of having an internal diameter in the unstressed state smaller than the external diameter of the sleeve 63.

To enable the locomotive to be brought rapidly to rest', brake means are provided comprising brake pads 84 on each of the two bogies 25 and 26, such brake pads being urged inwardly by hydraulic piston and cylinder units 85 mounted at the outer sides of the side plates of the bogies.

The requisite pressure is established in the piston and cylinder units 77 and 78 to cause these to contract longitudinally by means of a pump unit 86 which conveniently is mounted on the base or platform structure of the locomotive adjacent to one end of the tank or reservoir 46. As seen schematically in FIGURE 5, the pump unit 86 comprises a cylinder 87 and piston 88, which latter is movable by means of a screw threaded piston rod 89 co-operating with an internally threaded boss 90 at one end of the cylinder 87. The piston rod 89 is rotatable by means of -a manually operable knob 91 accessible at the side of the locomotive, either through an aperture in the casing structure hereinafter mentioned, or by pro vision of a door in such casing structure which can be opened as required.

The cylinder 87 is connected by a pipe 92 to the cylinders of the two units 77 to communicate therewith at the side of the piston from which the piston rod protrudes.

The locomotive may include a casing structure 93 enclosing the sides, ends and top of the parts carried on the base or platform structure 35. Control of the locomotive may be elfected from the driving station 94 of a tender vehicle 95 suspended from the track by bogies 96 and 97 similar to those already described, but furnished additionally with web-engaging rollers 98. The tender may be connected to the locomotive by a draw bar 99 pivotally connected about a horizontal vertical axis between forked brackets 100 and 101 on the locomotive and tender respectively. The requisite connection between control members on the driving station 94 (not shown) and the devices of the locomotive controlled thereby, such as the driving motor 42 and pump 43, may be eiected through a flexible pipe assembly 102 extending between the tender and the locomotive.

The compartment 103 may be adapted for passenger carrying and in this case provided laterally with doors 104, either in the form of panels or frames.

The locomotive may be provided with a pump -106 driven from the motor 42 and furnishing a supply of fluid under pressure, for example hydraulic fluid, for operating one or more auxiliary devices carried on the tender or other vehicle connected to the locomotive.

One such device may comprise a distributing device for distributing particles of stone dust in a mine working to minimise the risk of explosions through the presence of coal dust.

I claim:

1. A locomotive for a monorail conveyor having an elevated monorail track including a rail having a vertical web and a horizontal ange at least at the lower end of the web, said locomotive comprising a body having running wheels adapted to engage with the upwardly presented face of said flange and laterally spaced driving wheels adapted to engage respectively with opposed laterally presented faces of said web, a driving motor powered by a source of energy carried on or with the locomotive, and transmission means operatively connecting said motor with said driving wheels, said locomotive including the improvement wherein:

(a) the driving wheels are carried by a pair of laterally spaced arms extending upwardly from said body, (b) said arms are pivotally connected to said body for lateral movement towards and away from said rail, (c) each of said arms includes:

(i) an outer support means,

(ii) a bearing means carried by said support means,

(iii) a rotary driving shaft supper-ted by said bearing means and having a free upper end portion projecting upwardly of said support means and said bearing means and carrying a respective one of said driving wheels.

(d) a hydraulic piston and cylinder means extends be- A tween and is operatively connected to said support means of said arms respectively to move said arms towards each other positively to establish contact pressure between said driving wheels and said web.

2. A locomotive as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said transmission means comprises a gear box having a casing positioned beneath said rail,

(b) said arms each project upwardly through openings in an upper wall of said gear box,

(c) flexible sealing means are provided in association with said openings enabling said arms to move t0- wards and -away from each other and preventing ingress of foreign material into said gear box casing.

3. A locomotive as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

(a) said outer support means of each of said -arms comprises a sleeve enclosing said driving shaft of said arm,

(b) said sleeve is connected by said flexible sealing means adjacent to the lower end of said sleeve to said upper wall of said gear box,

(c) each of said driving shafts projects upwardly from the upper end of said associated sleeve and carries at its upper end an associaed one of said driving wheels.

4. A locomotive as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

(a) said gear box includes two input shafts arranged longitudinally of the locomotive in laterally spaced relation and having respective bevel gears thereon,

(b) said bevel gears mesh respectively with companion bevel gears on said driving shafts,

(c) means are provided for mounting said shafts and said companion bevel gears for lateral swinging movement about the axes of their respectively associated input shafts.

5. A locomotive as claimed in claim 4 wherein:

(a) said driving shafts are supported by bearings mounted in said sleeves associated respectively with said driving shafts and in each case disposed adjacent to the upper and lower ends of said sleeves,

(b) said means for supporting said driving shafts and companion bevel gears for lateral swinging movement comprise carriers pivotally mounted co-axially with said input shafts,

(c) said sleeves are xedly mounted on said carriers respectively.

6. A locomotive as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

(a) each of said driving shafts is provided with means for detachably mounting a respective one of said driving wheels thereon for upward detachment from said upper end portion of said shaft,

(b) each of said driving wheels has a tyre of resilient material,

(c) said arms are movable towards and away from each other between an inner operative position in which said tyres engage with the web of said rail and an outer released position of said arms in which said driving wheels are spaced laterally from said rail by an amount providing sufficient clearance with respect to said flange thereof to enable each of said 7 Wheels to be upwardly removedfrom its shaft while the lo-comotive remains suspended from said rail by said running wheels. K

7. A locomotive as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said hydraulic piston and cylinder means comprises two piston and cylinder units,

(b) said piston and cylinder units extend transversely of said locomotive at positions spaced apart longitudinally thereof on opposite sides of said arms,

(c) said outer support means of said arms includes members extending therefrom longitudinally of the locomotive and connected to the ends of said piston and cylinder units.

8. A locomotive as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said locomotive includes, adjacent to one of its ends, two longitudinally spaced bogies, and adjacent to the other of its ends, a further bogie, each of said bogies incorporating laterally spaced ones of said running wheels,

(b) said two longitudinally spaced bogies carry a gear y box support frame on which is supported a gear box from which said arms project upwardly at opposed laterally spaced positions between said two longitudinally spaced bogies,

` (c) Said body includes a platform structure extending beneath and supported from said gear box support frame and said further bogie, said platform structure carrying said motor.

9. A locomotive as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transmission means includes a hydraulic pump driven from said motor and a hydraulic motor connected to an input shaft means of said gear box and connected by pipe means to said pump.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 258,302 5/1882 Ingerson 10S-30 XR 1,325,870 12/1919 Hanscotte 105-30 2,316,223 4/1943 Cheneau 10S-30 3,041,983 7/1962 Liversidge et al. 10S-30 XR 3,380,398 4/1968 Wainwright et al. 10S-75 0 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner HOWARD BELTRAN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

